Fundraising events have been on the decline for years as a result of their low ROI compared to direct solicitation, mailings, and capital campaigns. It's no secret that the top performing organizations in the country hold only one or even zero "fundraising" events per year and focus on only recognition/stewardship for their in-person events.

Boldly launch a more visible, robust multi-year philanthropy initiative, keeping in mind that need dictates goal.

So, what does this mean for our donor recognition efforts? Some basic principals of human psychology are at play here.

While dollars raised will be the ultimate performance metric, in our work with clients we see success coming from concentrating a fundraising fitness program in four areas.

For nonprofits it’s almost impossible to assign a dollar value to the incredible benefits of strong volunteer leaders. Because the competition in nonprofits is often as much for leadership as it is for funding, volunteers who commit to support your nonprofit’s mission as proactive connectors, cultivators or closers of gifts are invaluable.

Where should we focus our time and efforts regarding philanthropy? We must focus on building and expanding authentic and meaningful relationships.